Tommy Fury beat Jake Paul by split decision in grudge match
Tommy Fury handed Jake Paul his first professional defeat, winning an eight-round split decision on Sunday night at Diriyah Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Two judges scored the bout 76-73 in favor of Fury (9-0, 4 knockouts), the half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, while the third had it 75-74 in favor of the social media star Jake Paul (6-1, 4 KOs) in their catchweight bout.
Fury built an early lead with his ability to control the fight at long range, landing 1-2 combinations on Paul, who showed his frustration by earning a point deduction in round 5 for hitting behind the head.
Fury, 23, of Manchester, England also was deducted a point in the following round for holding, though it appeared that Paul, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio had initiated the holding.
Desperately behind on points, Paul needed something big in the final round. He came up with a knockdown with a jab, but it appeared that Fury’s foot slipped on the mid-ring logos. Still, it was not enough to pull out the victory.
After the fight, Fury voiced his relief with the win, as he looked back on the broken rib that prevented the fight from happening in 2021, and being denied entry to the United States for another fight date against Paul last year.
“Everybody thought I was running scared. Tonight, I made my own legacy. I am Tommy Fury,” said Fury.
“All through these past two years, I had a dream and a vision that I would win this fight. And no one believed me. Now I can stand up and everybody can take note. It’s my first main event at 23 years old. I had pressure on my shoulders, and I came through.”
Paul initially said that he didn’t dispute the loss, but then added, “I don’t know if I agree with the judges.”
“I’ve already won in life, man. I’ve already won in every single way. I have an amazing family. Amazing friends. Amazing work ethic. I’ve made it farther than I ever thought I would,” said Paul.
